Fire nozzle



Jly 28, 1959 o. ll-IRUBY, .JR

FIRE NOZZLE Filed Nov. r4, 1955 JOHN o. HRUBY, JR.,

IN V EN TOR.

HUE'BNEP, BEE/ILE P woRRL-'L a HERZ/c,

A TTORNEVQ United FStates Patent Ol John o; n'mby, Jr., Burbank, calin, assigner to Jenn Drew, Gerald W. Frasier', and' John i0. Hruby,v.r.1, fcopartners, doing, businessl asv Irrigation Engineering: y& Manufacturing Co.

Application November- 4, l195s, serial No, "$215,005`

I14 claims. (c1. 239-237) This invention' relates t'o fluid' discharge devices and more particularly to nozzles' which' are especially well suited'for fire-fighting purposes.

By way or'A introduction to' this speeication and serving as a brief summary indicating thev nature and substance ofthe invention, the following' is quoted from-Bulletih No. 92, dated December 15, 193'9, by the' National Board of Fire nderwrite'rs, NewYork, NiY., entitled Spray Application of Water:

There are several types' of res'where engineering' indicates that the solidl stream, so commonly used kin the past operations of fire departments, is not well adapted to fire extinguishment" These iire's may be' listedv roughlyY as:

vOil, grease, tar andZ other'amrnable liquids.

Smoky lires', especiallywhe're interior firefighting is in order.

Protecting an 'exposed' building from an adjoining fire.

A widely spread fire of low heat intensity.

Chimney orjgrease ductres;

Grass or 'underbrushres In alll ofy these fires one of the p'rime'requisites is to reduce `the temperature ofthe ensuinggasesand smoke, so that when these heated'p'roducts of combustion 'reach a point where they have sufficientI oxygen, theywill not ignite.k Another object is to -cool down the unburned material, which, being exposed tothese heated gases, will later ignite if not kept below the'ig'm'tion point. A further and very important item'inre'ghtin'g is to clear up the srri'okefto a point where hindrance to actual attack of the fire will not' existi` Smoke prevents the firemen from locating the'burningmaterial, which often may be off'small amount. Smoke: also may drive the' firemen out.

It isaI wellknown fact; that water' absorbs not only heat? but also-many off the toxic gases ofv a fire, and tends to' cl'e'arv away the smoke', but it doesl this most' effectivelywh'en' brokenfup into `fine' particles; For a number'of years: this-value ofminute drops of water has been appreciated' in Europe', and diiusers or spray'nozzles have been'y -u'sed in`v interior' fire fighting; especially= inl dwelling fires. Inlrecentyears this' practice' h'as been' trie'dout in many American re departments, through the use of fog nozzles, of various'- designs; The's'e were developed first as means of combatingl oil fires; the principle of the nozzle is to dischargea iin'e mist or fog` of water particles, and to dothisit is generally desirable to use high nozzle pressures, asotherwise there isnotfsuicient carry to the stream.. As the use` ofthese nozzles becomes more general,each department? trying them out realizes the possibilitie's' of their use. As= with all' other fire department equipment such' noz'zlesE are not' suitable for all types and kinds of interiorffires.. Primarilyl they are limited to fires of low heat intensityyto those'wh'e're the smoke is dense and there is little deeply embedded rewhos'e heat will change/the mist into steam" before ity reaches thel bed of embers 2,896,861 Patented July 28, 1959 ice Thereis' another form of nozzle which has not yet been perfected which will be the ultimate type to be used on interiory fires which have progressed beyond the stage where the fog nozzle will' be effective. 'Ihis isa nozzle ofi larger calibre than the 1/2-inch fog nozzle generally found so-satisfactory for fires of small-magnitude. The larger calibre is necessary to give sufficient water to cool down the highly heated gases and burning material and reach the seat of the fire. Such a nozzle should hotproduce a fog but should give a heavy broken-up stream resemblingmore a rain than ay fog, with the drops of suflicientv size to give aI carry to the stream of 30 to 50 feet. Nozzles of this kind, operated from a ladder into a Win'- dow, or possibly from a water tower or ladder pipe, where the nozzlev is struck into the window, should reduce ternperatures enough to permit entry to the iloor. Somewhat this same use of water, but in an ineffective way, is the attemptof firemen to produce a spray by partially closing a shut-olf nozzle or by playing the stream against the ceiling. Much more effective work would be obtained by the use of a special'nozzle.

It is au objectV of this invention to provide a nozzle which meets the requirements set forth in the last paragraph of the above quotation. The nozzles of this invention are as completely effective and advantageous in extinguishing fires as was forecast' back in 1939 bythe National Board of Fire Underwriters.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will 'appear during the course of the following part of this specification, wherein the details of Acoi'lstruction and mode of operation of a preferred embodiment of the invention are described with reference to the accompanying )drawing,- in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a nozzle embodying 'the invention, the left-hand half of the nozzle and the upper `end thereof being shown in central longitudinal section;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the orice end of the nozzle;

` Eig; 3 is a central longitudinal section on an enlarged scale through a water discharge element or' sub-assembly ofthe nozzle, taken Online 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross-section on an enlarged scale through lthe dischargeelement taken on line 4 4 of Fig. l3; and

Fig. 5 isa cross-section on an enlarged scale through theY discharge element taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing in greater detail, reference numeral 1i) designates, generally, a nozzle embodying the invention, the same comprising a tubular body 1l, shown" as a hollow elongate cylinder of circular cross-section,- having a liow passage l2. The lower end of the bodyis externally threaded at 1'3 for attaching the sante to\ a socket' designated generally by numeral 14, such socket l4comprising a reducing coupling 15 and a reducing'bushing 16, by means of which the nozzle is adapted for connection to the water discharge end of a fire hose (not shown), the reducing bushing having a conventional washer 17 seated therein for forming a water-tight connection between the nozzle and hose.

A-cap 19fcovers the water discharge end of the nozzle. It is-xed on the end of the body 1l as by screw thread connection 20. The cap 19 has a central orifice 21 formed therein, for producing a solid core of small diameter for the broken-up stream produced by the nozzle. In'.l the-illustrated embodiment the orifice 21 is circular in" general outline and the walls defining it are irregular, i.e. screw threads 22 are formed therein for disrupting the wall of the stream core.

Spaced around the central orifice is a plurality of openings 24 formed-in the cap, there being six such openings `in`the illustrated embodiment, the same being uniformly ings are'adapted, by means'of screwthreads formed in the charge devices or sub-nozzle assemblies designated generally by reference numeral 26.

The discharge devices 26 are of the general type illustrated and described in Letters Patent of the United States Nos. 2,589,942 and 2,639,191, issued to me on March 18, 1952, and May 19, 1953, respectively. For the nozzle the discharge devices 26 are constructed to include some of the improved features of a nozzle of the same general type as above mentioned and on which I am making application for Letters Patent contemporaneously herewith.

Referring to Fig. 3, wherein the details of construction of one discharge device 26 are best shown, it is seen that such device comprises a tubular body 29 defining a passage 30 extending axially therethrough. Arranged longitudinally in the passage is a stem 31, the outside diameter of which is less than the diameter of the passage whereby the stem is freely rotatable and moveable longitudinally Yin the passage. The body has a plurality of apertures 32 formed therein, the same being inclined (tangent in the illustrated embodiment) with respect to the radii of the passage 39, for admitting water to the passage and causing such water to spiral, thereby to rotate the stem on its axis and cause the stem to gyrate around in the passage with the axis of the stem being inclined with respect to the axis of the passage.

As the stem is rotated by the swirl of water in the passage, it contacts and thus rolls on an edge 34 of a bearing sleeve 35 defining the lower end of the passage. The bearing sleeve is preferably formed of oil impregnated sintered bronze. The upper portion of the stem likewise contacts and thus rolls around the walls defining the upper portion of the passage, the same being frusto-conicalV in configuration to provide increased contact surface with the stem and to permit gyration of the stem in a greater circle.

The inside wall of the body has an annular recess 37 formed therein proximate the lower end of the body. This recess is formed as by making a counterbore 38 in the lower end of the body for receiving the bearing sleeve 35 force-fitted into the counterbore. The bearing sleeve is shorter in its axial dimensions than the counterbore, thereby to define the lower shoulder of the recess. Such recess serves to collect sand and other foreign particles carried in the water and thus prevents the same from dropping down into the passage and becoming lodgedbetween the stem and the bearing sleeve, at which position such sand or foreign particles would restrict free rolling of the Vstern around the edge 34 ofthe bearing sleeve.

To maintain the stem within the passage against being carried out through the outlet end of the passage by the swirling stream of water, there is a collar 40 anchored around the lower end of the stem as by detent means shown at 41. A washer 42 is positioned around the stem between the collar and the bearing sleeve, the washer being freely rotatable on the stem.

Reference numeral `44 designates the axially extending passage through the stem, the same being open at the lower end to provide for a How of water from the passage 12 of the nozzle. At its upper end the stern is flattened and flared outwardly to form an elongate orifice 46. By being flared, the stem is prevented from dropping downwardly out through the body passage, i.e. when no water is passing through the discharge device, the stem drops downwardly in the passage until the flared end of the stem is received in the frusto-conical upper portion of the passage as shown in a full line position thereof in Fig. 3. When water passes through the discharge device, the stem extends upwardly in the passage as represented by the broken line position thereof shown at 47.

From the above descriptionfit will be apparent that water flows through each of the discharge devices 26 in two separate paths, i.e. through the stem 31 and around the stem. Water from the stem orifice is discharged as a 75.^

fan-shaped stream which immediately upon discharge is disrupted and broken up as a result of the rotation of the stern on its axis and of gyration of the stem within the body passage. Such gyration of the stem furthermore breaks up the stream of water flowing out from the discharge device around the stem and the ared end of the stem increases the extent of stream break-up. The force of the water in each of the two broken-up streams, one initially at least partly within the other, causes further breaking up of the outer stream, with the final result that Water is discharged from device 26 in a stream of discrete and well distributed drops as distinguished from a iine spray or fog. It is found, too, that these discrete drops, i.e. like rain drops, have relatively high carrying power, so that they carry to a relatively great distance from the nozzle.

With the discharge devices 26 arranged around the central orifice 21, each of the broken-up streams of discrete drops are further broken up by each other. These outer streams then impinge upon the centrally disposed solid stream from orifice 21, causing the solid core to break up at some distance from the nozzle, with the final result that a combined stream of discrete drops having high carrying power is produced.

Should it be desired to restrict the cross-sectional area of the combined streams from the nozzle, there is provided an outer sleeve 49 around the nozzle body 11 and slideable longitudinally on the body to a selected position where it will limit the diameter of the nozzle stream as desired. To secure the outer sleeve 49 at a desired extended position on the nozzle body, the sleeve has an inside collar 50 which in the illustrated embodiment is suitably secured in the sleeve 49 as by screw 51. A wing screw 52 is provided for tightening the sleeve to the body. The collar 50 also prevents inadvertent removal of the sleeve 49 from the body by being engageable with a flange 53 on the cap 19.

The nozzle 10 includes means for filtering solids carried in the water supply flowing through the nozzle and for directing such solids into the solid core portion of the nozzle stream. Such filtering means comprises a conical screen 55 formed of wire mesh and arranged co-axially in the nozzle body, with the apex thereof being directed toward the cap 19. The screen 55 is bent radially outwardly at its base to form a flange 56 for securing the screen to the inside end of the body. As the water lows through the body, solid particles carried in the water are retained by the screen and thence travel along the screen wall towards the screen apex. Such apex is open, as shown at 57, in alignment with the central orice 21 of the cap, whereby the ltered solids are confined to that portion of the stream which is discharged as a solid core, and thereby prevented from entering thel discharge devices 26. In the illustrated lembodiment the opening S7 of the screen is spaced inwardly from the cap. However, it is contemplated herein that the screen may be attached at its apex end to the cap with the periphery of the opening 57 circumjacent the orifice 21 of the cap, thereby to insure against any probability that foreign particles carried in the central portion of the ow of water will enter the discharge devices 26.

A fire nozzle embodying this invention produces a heavy broken-up stream of discrete drops resembling more a rain than a fog, with the drops of suicient size to give a carry to the stream of about feet, depending, of course, upon the size of the nozzle and upon the pressure of water supplied to the nozzle. The effectiveness and efficiency of the streams produced by these nozzles in quickly quenching fires is so remarkable and surprising as to suggest that even the National Board of Fire Underwriters, which long ago recognized the need for a fire nozzle of the typeherein described for producing the results which it imagined, would be amazed by the results actually obtained. These nozzles permit lire fighters to combat hres with broken-up streams of the type herein described, at safe distances from a tire. Also, it is important to note that these nozzles, when made to a relative size corresponding to that of nozzles producing solid streams and requiring two and sometimes more men to handle and control the same, may be handled and controlled elfectively by but one man.

While I have herein shown and described my invention in what I have conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of my invention which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein, but is to (be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent structures.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: p l. A fluid discharge device comprising a cap having an orifice extending therethrough, a plurality of fluid discharge sub-assemblies positioned in the cap and spaced around and proximate said oriiice, each sub-assembly comprising a tubular body providing a iluid passageway through the cap, said body having an aperture formed therein for admitting fluid into the body, said aperture being inclined with respect to the radii of the body for causing swirling of fluid in the tbody, and an elongate stem arranged longitudinally in the body, stop means on the stem engageable with the body for retaining the stem in the body, said stem being rotatable on its axis and gyratable in the body with the axis of the stem inclined with respect to the axis of the body.

2. A nozzle comprising a main tubular body, a cap on one end of the body, a plurality of fluid discharge sub-assemblies secured in the cap, each sub-assembly comprising a tubular sub-body extending into the main body and having an outlet opening and providing a Huid passageway through the cap, each sub-'body having an aperture formed in that portion of the sub-body extending into the main body for admitting iiuid into the subbody, said aperture being inclined with respect to the radii of the sub-body for causing swirl of fluid around in and out from the sub-body, a plurality of elongate tubular stems arranged longitudinally in tlhe sub-bodies respectively and projectable outwardly of the outlet opening of its sub-body, each stem having an opening in each end portion thereof respectively, each stem being rotatable on its axis and gyratable in its respective sub-body, stop means on each stem engageable with its respective sub-body for retaining the stems in their respective subbodies, and an outer sleeve around the main body adapted to extend outwardly beyond said cap.

3. A nozzle comprising a main tubular body adapted for connection at one end thereof to a fluid supply conduit, a cap covering the opposite end of the body, the cap having an orifice extending therethrough and disposed substantially centrally of the cap, a plurality of iiuid discharge sub-assemblies secured in the cap and spaced around said orifice, each sub-assembly comprising a tubular sub-body extending into the main body and having an outlet opening and providing a fluid passageway through the cap, each sub-body having an aperture formed in that portion of the sub-body extending into the main |body for admitting fluid into the sub-body, said aperture being inclined with respect to the radii of the sub-body for causing swirl of uid around in and out from the sub-body, a plurality of elongate tubular stems arranged longitudinally in the sub-bodies respectively and projectable outwardly of the outlet opening of their respective sub-bodies, each stem having an opening in each end portion thereof respectively, each stem being rotatable on its axis and gyratable in its respective sub-body, and stop means on each stem engageable with its respective sub-body for retaining the stems in their respective subbodies.

4. A nozzle comprising a main tubular body adapted for connection at one end thereof to a fluid supply conduit, a cap covering the opposite end of the body, the

cap having an orifice extending therethrough and disposed substantially centrally of the cap, a plurality of uid discharge sub-assemblies secured in the cap and spaced around said orifice, each sub-assembly comprising a tubular sub-body extending into the main lbody and providing a uid passageway through the cap, each subbody having an inclined aperture formed in that portion of the sub-body extending into the main body for admitting iiuid into the sub-body and for causing swirl of uid around in and out from the sub-body, a plurality of open-ended tubular stems arranged longitudinally in the sub-bodies respectively, each stem being rotatable on its axis and gyratable in its respective sub-body, means for retaining the stems in their respective sub-bodies, and filtering means within and extending across the main body, said ltering means having an opening formed therein in alignment with the said orifice.

5. A nozzle according to claim 4 in which the ltering means comprises a conical screen having an apex, said screen 'being arranged in the main body with its apex directed toward said cap, and said opening being formed in the apex of the screen.

6. A nozzle comprising a main tubular body, a cap covering one end 0f the body, the cap having an orifice extending therethrough and disposed substantially centrally of the cap, a plurality of uid discharge sub-assemblies secured in the cap and spaced around said orifice, each sub-assembly comprising a tubular sub-'body having an outlet opening therein and providing a fluid passageway through the cap, each sub-body having an inclined aperture formed in that portion of the sub-body extending into the main body for admitting Huid from the main body into the sub-body and for causing swirl of iluid around in and out from tlhe sub-body, a plurality of open-ended tubular stems arranged longitudinally in the sub-bodies respectively and projectable outwardly of the outlet opening of their respective sub-bodies, each stem being rotatable on its axis and gyratable around in its respective body, the stems being flattened at their outlet ends to provide respective elongate transversely extending orifices for the stems, and means operatively associated with respectively sub-bodies and stems for preventing said stems from being carried out from their subbodies.

7. A nozzle according to claim 6 including an outer sleeve around the main body, said sleeve being movable axially on the main body, and stop means for preventing removal of the sleeve from the main body.

8. A uid discharge device comprising a tubular body having an outlet opening at one end thereof, the body having an inclined aperture formed therein for admitting fluid from outside the body to the interior of the body and for causing swirl of fluid around in the body and out from said opening, an open-ended tubular stem arranged longitudinally in the body, the stem being fiattened at that end thereof proximate said opening to provide an elongate transversely extending orifice for the stem, and stop means on the stem engageable with the body for retaining the stem in the body against being carried out through said opening, said stem being rotatable on its axis and `gyratable around in the body.

9. A uid discharge device comprising a .body having inside walls ldefining a passageway therein and having an outlet opening at one end thereof, the body having a plurality of apertures formed therein for admitting fluid to said passageway, said apertures being inclined with respect to said passageway to cause uid in the passageway to spiral and pass out through said opening, the inside walls of the body adjacent said opening being inclined outwardly whereby said opening is of greater area than the cross-sectional area of that part of the passageway 'beyond said inclined walls, an elongate open-ended tubular stem arranged longitudinally in the passageway and projectable outwardly of said outlet opening, said stem being movable longitudinally in the passageway and rotatable on its axis and gy-ratable around in the passageway with the axis of the stem inclined with respect to the axis of the passageway, the stem being flattened and flared at that end thereof proximate said open- Ving to provide an elongate transversely extending orilice for-,tbe stem, stop means operatively associated with the stem and body for preventing removal of the stem out through said opening, and said -liared end of the stem being of a size sufficient to be received in but not passable through that part ofthe passageway defined by said inclined walls.

10. A nozzle comprising a body having a passageway extending therethrough providing a fluid inlet opening, a cap on the body extending transversely of the passage- Way, the cap having an orifice extending therethrough and disposed substantially centrally of the cap, the cap having a plurality of outlet openings formed therein and spaced around said orifice, stream break-up means disposed in respective outlet openings, and filtering means within the body and extending across the passageway. said filtering means having an opening formed therein in alignment with said orifice.

11. A nozzle comprising a body having a passageway extending therethrough providing a fluid inlet opening, a cap on Ithe body extending transversely of the lpassageway, the cap having an orifice extending therethrough and disposed substantially centrally of the cap for flow of -fluid out .from said passageway, the cap having a plurality of outlet openings formed therein for flow of fluid out Afrom said passageway, said outlet openings being spaced around said orifice, stream break-up means disposed in respective outlet openings, and an outer sleeve around the body, said sleeve being movable longitudinal- -ly on the body to selected positions extending beyond the cap, whereby said orifice emits a solid stream of uid from the nozzle body and said solid stream constitutes a 'carrying stream for the broken-up streams emitted from said stream break-up means, and said sleeve serves to deflect said broken-up streams toward said car- -rying stream.

ing means having an opening formed therein in alignment with said orifice, and an outer sleeve around the body, said sleeve being movable longitudinally on the body to selected positions extending 'beyond the cap. Y

13. A nozzle comprising a body having a passageway extending therethrough providing a iiuid inlet opening, a cap on the body extending transversely of the passageway, the cap having an orifice extending therethrough and disposed substantially centrally of the cap, the cap having a plurality of outlet openings formed therein and spaced around said orifice, stream break-up means disposed in respective outlet openings, and a conical screen Within the body and extending across the passageway, said screen having its apex directed toward the cap and an opening formed in the apex of the screen in alignment with said orifice. i

14. A nozzle comprising a main tubular body adaptedl for connection at one end thereof to a fluid supply cori-y duit, a cap covering the opposite end of the body, the cap having an orifice extending therethrough yand vdisposed substantially centrally of the cap, the Walls delining said orice being mutilated for disrupting the Iwalls of a stream passing through the orifice, a plurality of fluid discharge sub-assemblies secured inv the cap and spaced around said orifice, each sub-assembly comprising a tubular sub-body extending into the main body and providing a fluid passageway through the cap, each subvbody having an inclined aperture formed in that portion of the sub-body extending into the main body for admitting liuid into the sub-body and for causing swirl of fluid around in and out from the sub-body, a plurality of openended tubular stems arranged longitudinally in the subbodies respectively, each stem being rotatable on its axis and gyratable in its respective sub-body, and means for retaining the stems in their respective sub-bodies.

l References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 460,368 Splittstaser Sept. 29, 1891 984,082 Edgerton Feb. 14, 1911 1,665,744 Landberg Apr. 10, 1928 1,752,633 Crane Apr. 1, 1930 2,204,599 Jenkins June 18, 1940 2,639,191 Hruby May 19, 1953 2,651,547 Calhoun Sept. 8, 1953 2,680,652 Kooistra lune 8, 1954 2,733,962 Caird Feb. 7, 1956 2,734,775 Carmen Feb. 14, 1956 

